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Climbing Man with Arms Outstretched

Carle Van Loo

1743

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century

Dominant colour

Climbing Man with Arms Outstretched is a 1743 ink by Carle Van Loo, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Carle Van Loo
When & what style?: 1743 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This etching shows a muscular man lying on his side, one arm stretched up and back like he’s reaching for something. His legs are bent at the knee, and his head is turned toward us. The background is filled with tight, swirling lines that make the figure pop against a dark, textured space. The artist used fine lines to show every muscle and curve, making the skin look almost real. This kind of detailed shading was tricky to do in etchings back then. Want to see more? Look up etching to learn how artists like this made such sharp prints.